Saudi government denies reports of paralysis punishment sentence

Story highlights

Now, the Saudi government says reports of a paralysis sentence are "untrue"

The judge in the case "dismissed requests for such punishment" a Saudi ministry says

The case centered on a man convicted of stabbing and paralyzing another man

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Justice is denying reports that a Saudi court sentenced a man to be surgically paralyzed as punishment for having paralyzed another man, with the ministry adding that the judge in the case had "dismissed requests for such punishment."

A series of tweets issued by the Justice Ministry admonished media outlets for having published those earlier reports, calling them "untrue." The ministry also slammed human rights organizations for having condemned Saudi Arabia based on those reports.

"We hope that everyone attempts to verify the facts and be accurate," said the ministry.

News about the case first surfaced in local Saudi media last month. The Saudi Gazette, an English-language daily, reported that Ali Al-Khawahir was 14 when he stabbed and paralyzed his best friend 10 years ago.